Combined hammer and nail-set.



W. THOMAS.

AR. 25. M212.

Patented 0013.22, 1912.

UNITED STATESFATENI @FFIQI W'ILIIAM THOMAS, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE T0 JOE E.

MOTE, 0F SPRINGFIELD, IVIISSOURI.

COMBINED HAMMER AND NAIL-SEI`.

To all whom 'it may concern;

Be it known that I, liYiLLnmr THOMAS, a citizen of the United States,resident of Springiield, in the county of Greene and State of Missouri,have made a certain new and useful Invention in Combined Hammers andNail-Sets; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription cf the same, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the invention, reference beinghad to the accompanying' drawings, and to letters or figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention with the nail set orgripped by the spring jaws. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with thenail shown in dotted lines. Fig. f3 is a section on the line -a', Fig.2, showing the nail about to be engaged between the spring jaws. Fig. 4is a similar view with the nail set or gripped between the spring jaws.Fig. 5 is a similar view with the nail about to be released from thejaws.

The invention has relation to hammers or means for driving nails, havingin connection therewith means for holding the nail to set or start thenail in position prior to driving the nail home.

Gther objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combinations ofparts, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, the numeral 1designates the head of a hammer, one end of which is provided with arecess 2 extending inward longitudinally of said head, said recess beinglaterally closed at 4C and provided with a lateral entrance opening 5leading thereinto.

G, 6 are attachment plates for the recessed end of the hammer, to whichthey are secured at 7, said plates extending inward toward each other at8 across the open end 9 of said recess and outward at 10 in line withthe hammer head to form a pair of spring-acting jaws of substantiallyparallel relation.

In the use of the invention, the nail head is inserted within the recessthrough the lateral entrance 5, as shown'in Fig. 3 of the drawings, whenfinger pressure is brought to bear against the shank of the nail toSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application led March 25, 1912.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

Serial No. 686,088.

press said shank against the inner portions l1 of said aws to open thejaws against the tension of the spring thereof, the nail-shank passingbetween the aws until it is brought in line with longitudinal seats 12of the jaws, said jaws then snapping together to grip the nail shank insaid seats. In this operation the head of the nail takes a bearingagainst the shoulder 13, being the inner face of the lateral recess wallabove the opening 5. The nail now being held between the jaws with thenail head coniined within the recess, the workman takes the hammer byits handle and swings the hammer to bring' the point of the nail inforcible engagement with the place in the work wherein it is desired todrive it. The nail will in this way be driven in engagement with thework to a suiiicient extent to start and hold it in position, when thenail is released by a movement of the hammer to cause the nail head totake a bearing against the inner face of the lateral wall of the recessopposite the entrance opening. A bodily movement of the hammer will thencause the nail head to pass out of said opening, the nail remaining inset or started position in the work. rEhe workman then drives the nailhome by using the opposite end 14 of the hammer as a drive, said endhaving preferably a nail eXtr cting claw 15 as a part thereof.

The invention is designed for general use in driving nails, to save timeand labor, and particularly in overhead or diilicult work, to dispensewith the helper or extra man usually needed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A nail placer comprising a hammer head having an end recess providedwith an opening in one of its side walls and a bearing shoulder in rearof said opening, and gripping means for the nail shank to maintain it inset position in said head comprising opposite longitudinally groovedspring plates in axial alineinent with said head, the nail head having abearing against said shoulder and against the opposite wall of saidrecess in being set in posit-ion between and released from said grippingmeans.

2. A nail placer comprising a hammer head having al longitudinallyalined end recess provided with an opening in iis upper Wall and abearing shoulder in rear of said opening', and gripping nieans 'for thenail shank to maintain, it in set position in said head comprisingopposite longitudinally grooved spring,l plaies in axial alineinent withsaid head having lateral extensions located across the outer end of saidrecess to prevent endWise ouiward movement of Jthe nail, and outerbranches haring Connection with opposite sides of said head, Jdie nailhead i being' adapted to lake a bearing` against said shoulder andagainst lthe opposite Wall of said recess in being1 set in positionbetween and released from said gripping' ineans.

ln testimony whereof l ailix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAlv/ THUMAS.

Witnesses C. 0. Sian-nw, EDITH lVooD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

